News Releases

Lockhart's Barber College and 4-H team up for career exploration program
DECATUR, Ill. — Learning a trade is a career path available to students who don’t want to attend a four-year college. Trade schools offer a more direct route to a degree or accreditation. However, many youth are unaware of this option and struggle with the question, “what do I want to do after...
Horticulture day-long program helps gardeners plan for the season
DECATUR, Ill. — The new year has just begun, and gardeners are busy planning for the season. Gardening Insights is an annual event hosted by University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners in Macon County. This day-long event is an opportunity for gardeners to receive research-based...
Local 4-H educator honored for professional dedication, service
CLINTON, Ill. – The National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals recognized local University of Illinois Extension’s 4-H educator Jamie Boas held in November during its national conference in Memphis. The conference, a 75-year...
Master Gardener Program offers new training options
DECATUR, Ill. – You don’t have to be a gardening expert to become a Master Gardener. All you need is an interest in gardening, a willingness to volunteer in the community, and a desire to share your knowledge with others. The...
Mental health matters: Learn how to respond when someone needs aid
URBANA, Ill. – Mental health and substance use issues are common. Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults lives with a mental illness according to the National Institute of Mental Health. From 1999 to 2016, 630,000 people died from drug overdose according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....
Whip up creative fun in the kitchen with virtual food challenge
DECATUR, Ill. – Looking for a fun family activity that encourages creativity and helps build life skills? Use your cooking or baking skills to create a dish using a list of secret ingredients for University of Illinois Extension’s Virtual Food Challenge with 4-H. “Last year’s Virtual...
Discover what you need to know before choosing Evergreens for your landscape
MONTICELLO, Ill. — Home landscapes often include an evergreen or two for color throughout the seasons. Evergreens remain green and functional throughout more than one growing season. But, planting and caring for evergreens takes an investment of time and money, so it is important to make the...
Remove invasive honeysuckle from Fairview Park at volunteer event
DECATUR, Ill. – Several non-native species of honeysuckle are an invasive threat to native biodiversity. With leaves that appear before and drop after many other flowers and trees, bush honeysuckle will block sunlight so that other native species can’t grow. This also makes it easy to identify...
a deer on the side of the road
Be cautious; watch for deer on roads in fall
URBANA, Ill. – Drivers should slow down and stay alert to avoid deer-vehicle collisions this fall when traveling after dark. While accidents can happen at any time of year, most deer-vehicle incidents occur between dusk and dawn during the months of October, November, and December....
Prevent accidents by focusing on safety during busy harvest season
URBANA, Ill. – A long stretch of clear skies is great news for Illinois farmers who are busy clearing fields during the fall harvest. It also means they may be working long hours more days in a row, which can increase risks for burnout, injury, and stress. “Farmers are in the field a...